Poinsettia plant named ‘PER5102’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER5102’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; small dark green-colored leaves with irregularly scalloped margins; inflorescences with small, narrow, irregularly scalloped and red-colored flower bracts; mid-season flowering; showy orange-colored cyathia clusters; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER5102’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER5102’.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar 1019, not patented. The cultivar PER5012 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., on Sep. 27, 2001. The new Poinsettia was selected on the basis of its “textured” flower bracts.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., since January, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER5102’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER5102’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Small dark green-colored leaves with irregularly scalloped         margins.     -   3. Inflorescences with small, narrow, irregularly scalloped and         red-colored flower bracts.     -   4. Mid-season flowering; natural season flower maturity date is         late-November for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.     -   5. Showy orange-colored cyathia clusters.     -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar 1019, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller leaves than plants         of the cultivar 1019.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller and narrower flower         bracts than plants of the cultivar 1019.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Eckaloha, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,341. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Eckaloha in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the cultivar Eckaloha         differed in leaf coloration.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the cultivar Eckaloha         differed in flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar         Eckaloha had pale yellow and pink bi-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar 490 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsetta and the cultivar 490 differed in         leaf coloration.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had smaller and narrower flower         bracts than plants of the cultivar 490.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about 10 days later         than plants of the cultivar 490.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER5102’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘PER5102’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging about 24° C., night temperatures averaging about 19° C. and light levels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched once. Plants were flowered under natural season short day/long night conditions. Plants were about 21 weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the detailed botanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar     ‘PER5102’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. cultivar 1019, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20 to 22° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at 20 to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Upright, uniform and mounded plant habit;             inverted triangle. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 43 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: About nine lateral             branches develop after pinching. Length: About 25 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 1 to 1.5 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 146B             overlain with 183C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 6.8 cm. Width: About 5.7 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Irregularly scalloped.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Glabrous,             smooth. Texture, lower surface: Slightly pubescent. Surface,             upper and lower surfaces: Rugose. Color: Developing foliage,             upper surface: Darker than 147A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: More grey than 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: Darker than 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: More grey than 147A. Venation, upper surface: 147B.             Venation, lower surface: 147C. Petiole: Length: About             5.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             187B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are             not fragant. Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern             Hemisphere. Flower initiation and development is induced             under long nyctoperiod conditions. Mid-season flowering,             response time, about 8.5 weeks; natural season flower             maturity date is late November for plants grown in             Encinitas, Calif.         -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia             maintain good substance and bract color for about four weeks             under interior conditions.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 20 cm. Height (depth):             About 7 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 24. Length,             largest bracts: About 8.5 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             6.3 cm. Shape: Elliptic; narrow. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Irregularly scalloped. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous; velvety; tough. Surface, upper and             lower surfaces: Rugose. Aspect: Mostly flat. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and transitional bracts,             upper surface: 53B. Developing and transitional bracts,             lower surface: 46B. Fully expanded bracts, upper surfaces:             Brighter than 46A. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface:             53B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower             bract color. Bract petiole: Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth;             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 185A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About eleven to twelve.             Diameter of cyathia cluster: About 3 cm by 3.5 cm. Length:             About 1.1 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color,             immature and mature: 145A. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium:             About one or two. Size: About 3 mm by 6 mm. Color: 33A.             Peduncle: Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth;             glabrous. Color: 145B. Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             five. Anther shape: Bi-lobed. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: 59A. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color:             12B. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: About five. Pistil             length: About 8 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color:             59A. Stigma shape: Tri-lobed and recurved. Stigma color:             59A. Ovary color: 144A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER5102’, as illustrated and described. 